A Strong Feeling
by Neko-Chan in Wonderland
Summary: [Oneshot][DH and HBP Spoilers] Harry comes across the letters 'LE' in a heart at the corner of the Prince's Advanced Potion Making. As old as the book was, the ink still hadn't faded. SSLE


**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter.

**A/N:** Just HAD to after reading the seventh book!!

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Harry flipped through his copy of "Advanced Potion Making" nervously, looking for some assistance in the matter of his Potions essay. Slughorn had hit them with an unexpected bout on antidote mixing, and he was hoping, praying even, for a few hints form his beloved Prince.

However, twenty minutes flipped by without fruit, and he didn't dare look up, not wanting to face Hermione's smug expression. He paused to sigh leaning his head back against his favorite armchair in the common room. The fire crackled comfortingly and he noticed for the first time that it had become dark outside.

He glanced back down at the potions book hopefully one last time. All he saw was, in the corner of the page, a small roughly drawn heart. Within it the initials "L.E." were scribbled in tiny letters. His mind jerked back to his father's OWL paper with "L.E." written in the snitch he was drawing. But then he remembered what Lupin had said about his father being a pureblood, and his hopes dashed again. Yet, a small smile remained on his face. As he flipped through the textbook further, he noticed that there were more little hearts engraved with "L.E." scattered throughout. Whoever this "Half-Blood Prince" was, he must really like this "L.E." person. The book being as old as it was, he decided it couldn't be his mother, but it was cute anyway.

At that time, Ginny entered the common room, sending Harry a small greeting. His stomach lurched a bit and he gave a weak wave in return, hoping his smile didn't look weird. After a moment of thought, he added a small heart in the corner of the page adorned with "G.W.".

"What're you doing?" Hermione appeared over his shoulder and Harry hastily slammed the book shut.

"N-Nothing…"

"That's not going to help you." She gave him a satisfactory grin that was returned with a scowl.

"I'm going now. I promised Hagrid I'd go down and help him with some creature he got." He stood, stuffing his book back into his bag. "It's legal this time!" He added quickly as Hermione gave him a sharp look. "It's for his class. I told him I'd help because I felt guilty about the whole not-taking-his-class business."

"Well, don't forget about your essay. Honestly… I'll just… look at it, I suppose…" She rolled her eyes and snatched up his parchment, scanning through it.

Harry smiled, knowing she was going to help him after all, just like she'd done with Ron, and all negative thoughts about her evaporated. "Thanks a lot, Hermione!"

She seemed too absorbed in scribbling notes on his essay to hear him, so he set off to Hagrid's hut, invisibility cloak swung over him.

He walk through the grounds in slow, easy strides, enjoying the pleasantly cool breeze of the evening. Something silvery white was galloping though across the grounds, headed away from Hogwarts. Harry identified it as a messenger patronus, and he paused, wondering whether he might get in its way.

The silver streak stopped abruptly to look at him, cocking it's head to the side. He stared, confused for a moment, at the four-legged silver creature he couldn't quite identify for the brief moment it paused. He did catch, in it's eyes, a sort of bright greenish glow. But he wasn't quite sure whether he had possibly imagined it, because it streaked away after only a few seconds.

The hour he spent helping Hagrid out, he puzzled over whether or not he had really imagined it or not. He was still pondering this as he reentered Hogwarts under the invisibility cloak. He walked in side-by-side with Dumbledore, who was returning from his latest travels, unaware of Harry's presence.

That is until one of his feet fell unluckily upon the invisibility cloak, and it slid off Harry in an instant. Dumbledore blinked at him with surprise for a moment before smiling. "I see you're using your father's cloak. Where have you been this late, may I ask?"

Harry blushed. "J-Just at Hagrid's…. Sorry Professor…"

"Mm, it's okay, although I'll be speaking to Professor McGonagall about arranging a detention for you… It's only fair." Dumbledore nodded, although it didn't appear to Harry that he minded much.

"Sir?" Harry asked after a moments thought.

"Yes, Harry?"

"Is it possible… for… a patronus to have color?" Harry asked hesitantly.

"Color?" Dumbledore stared out in thought. "Well… there is a rare, _rare_ possibility… if the person's patronus is created using an exceptionally strong feeling behind it… something _very, very_ strong." He said slowly, as if he was unsure of the subject himself. "Why do you ask, Harry?"

"Well, I thought I saw this patronus… I'm not sure what it was, I only saw it for a second… but it had four legs… a horse, or a doe or something… and I swear I saw green eyes on it." Dumbledore stared at him for a very long time, and Harry was beginning to feel uncomfortable. "Sir?"

"A doe, you say?" Dumbledore nodded with a small smile. "Yes, yes… as I said Harry, a strong feeling… quite possibly like… love." They shared a brief silence before Dumbledore snapped out of his thoughtful state. "Well Harry, off to bed with you, we don't want you wandering around anymore."

"Right!" Harry said hastily, and disappeared down the corridor.

Dumbledore continued in the opposite direction, and he met Snape, waiting for him at the gargoyle to his office. "I got your message, Severus." Snape nodded, and Dumbledore paused. "Your feelings are still that strong, are they?"

Snape faltered. "Sorry?"

"Nothing, nothing. Just the ramblings of an old man." Dumbledore waved his hand dismissively, yet, as he followed Snape up the stairs, a sad smile fell upon his lips.

Meanwhile in the dormitories, Harry lay, head lying snugly on his potions book, glasses askew. As he slept, his eyelashes swept upon a corner on the page, on which "L.E." was written permanently within it's heart.


End file.
